Moroccan Blue



The bunting is homemade, the string of solar lanterns came from Asda, £10



Old furniture being given a new lease of life in the garden! This is a great storage solution for me, and looks pretty too

Table and chairs from B&Q. Cushions homemade

As the weather was glorious this weekend I spent the whole of it in the garden, getting all those annoying little jobs done. I painted all of the fence work – while I know the vivid blue is not to everyone’s taste, I love it. It reminds me of being in Morocco & the wonderful gardens there.

I also moved some bushes that were threatening to take over the flowerbed after being left to do their own thing for four years – and of course that left gaps, so I just had to go and get some new plants to fill them!

It was hard work, but I love how the garden looks now – as you can see Bronwyn approves too! I even managed to enjoy Sunday evening, sitting beside the fire pit with a book and a glass of wine – that’s the life!

Pirate Weekend!

Last weekend in Plymouth was Pirate Weekend - oh yes, no shying away from any cliches in my hometown! Ash & I took his niece Isabella to Plymouth Hoe to enjoy the fun & luckily for us it was a beautiful sunny day.

We went on a pirate ship, did treasure hunts and met 'Jointy Depp' - Oh yes, you did read that right! Isabella had her face painted with a beautiful butterfly, as you can see from the pictures. She's a real stunner and lucky for me she's happy to be photographed!

Red & White (On Blue!)

I've not done any sewing for a week as I've been on half term holiday in Plymouth. However, the week before that I made another version of the 1950s dress I posted before - this time with a plain neckline instead of the cape collar, and 3/4 length sleeves. I love this fabric, but as it's very thin cotton I'll need to get a fabulous net petticoat to go underneath - oh what a shame!

I managed to bring quite a lot of fabric back from Mum's house with me as she was getting rid of perfectly good curtains & bedding, so I'm going to have a think and then reinvent them into something pretty. I'll post pictures when I'm done.

Hope you're all enjoying the sun!

Busy Sewing Bee!



Padded laptop sleeve




1950s original pattern dress




Peter Pan blouse

 Since finishing my sewing room I've spent many hours in there like a sewing hermit, making pretty things!

The laptop sleeve was made out of neccessity - I don't want it getting damaged on my frequent trips down to Plymouth. I used scraps of fabric I had saved and an old duvet inner (partially destroyed by Bronwyn!) makes up the padding.

The checked dress is made from an original 1950s sewing pattern I got on ebay, and the fabric was kindly given to me by a friend. I love it, it's perfect for work, and I can layer up a jumper underneath when it's cold or a shirt when it's warmer. I feel very 'Peggy from Mad Men' in it!

The Peter Pan blouse is from a modern Simplicity pattern. The fabric was from the Shepton Craft Fair a year ago - I'd been hanging on to it, not knowing what to make, and just occasionally stroking it because it feels so soft....!

Gypsy Caravan

Last year we were lucky enough to stay in a gypsy caravan in Cornwall - it was our celebration for Ash finishing his degree. 

I found the caravan on a wonderful website - www.canopyandstars.co.uk
Warning: once you start looking at their places to stay you will lose many hours!

The view from the caravan

The fire pit

Pretty fairy lights & the fabric lining the caravan ceiling 

Tea lights in jam jars were strung in the trees

Ash cooking breakfast on the tiny gas cooker

We had a wonderful time, it was so peaceful & the perfect country getaway. It felt like staying in a doll's house as everything was so tiny & custom made for the small space. There was even a fire pit outside with cooking tripod over it. Sitting beside that looking at the view with a cold cider in had was pure bliss!

Bath Vintage & Flea Market

 Last weekend I headed out in the cold, windy & wet weather to brave the elements at Bath Racecourse, all in the name of vintage!

My good friend Rachel & I went to the Bath Vintage & Flea market (with our other halves & Bronwyn in tow!). there were nearly 250 stalls selling thousands of antique & vintage items both indoors & out - heaven! If only the weather had been kinder... But then as Rachel wisely pointed out, the rain does drive prices down for the outdoor stalls!

I could easily have spent a small fortune, particularly on blue & white china for the sunroom and several pieces of furniture that I fell in love with but had neither the money or space at home for! But I came away successful having brought a new coffee table for the living room to replace the previous one that Bronwyn had chewed!

My lovely 'new' coffee table

The next vintage flea market at Bath Racecourse will be June 2nd from 9am
http://www.bathfleamarket.co.uk/

Vinyl Groove

I've wanted to own a record player for ages - my parents had one when I was little & I have such lovely memories of twirling around the living room aged 5 while Kate Bush Wuthering Heights was spinning away!

I've been keeping an eye out at vintage fairs & on ebay for a record player ever since I finished doing up the sunroom, as I'm convinced this is the perfect finishing touch for the room, and it will be lovely in summer with the doors to the garden open & a record playing away. Having been outbid on everything I set my heart on & then becoming worried about the potential extra costs of buying a vintage model I finally decided it would be best/ sensible to get a new one but in a repro vintage style.

I fell in love with these online and I love the suitcase design (it's a portable record player so we'll be able to have it out in the garden if the fancy takes us). They come in the most beautiful colours and I've gone for the vibrant blue.

I'm thrilled with my little record player, and have well & truly started my vinyl collection having purchased my favourite album ever, Carole King's Tapestry at Bath Vintage Fair. Bring on summer evenings with an old time record playing in the background!